July7, 2013

Hey guys well this week was a lot better. We got to work this week! WE found 10 new investigators and taught 25 lessons which is 8 more than they've ever had in this area and this week we plan on getting the 30 lessons this week. Wow super tough being district leader here. But learning a ton at the same time! My companion is Elder Obaldia and he is from panama. He is probably the most humble person i've ever met. Really he is so great. Didn't have the greatest trainer but he still dominates. We're just working on the teaching together now. A lot of practicing so that we can teach fluidly. Then in my district there is Elder Reyes (El Salvador he was in cañas with me) his companion Elder Pugh (washington) then Hermana Ponce(Honduras) her companion Hermana Watkins( Arizona) then Herman Tippits(Utah) and her companion Hermana Patrick( Florida her dad was the stake president on the broadcast from 2 sundays ago) But ya that's my district they0re all super great missionaries! We found 45 new investigators as a district this week but we only invited 9 out of those 45 to get baptized. So only 20 percent. Which is super low we should be challenging every person in the very first visit! So that's the challenge as the district and what we're going to put a focus on is putting baptismal dates with everyone!

I do like turrialba a ton! And the cool thing is that Ivon from Tibás has a sister that lives here who isn't a member so Ivon is going to come down here and we're going to teach her!!! Which will be super awesome!! Sorry i totally forgot the connector for the camera so i can't pass fotos this week. but next week i'll try to remember. 

Our ward is good we just got to get the people to work with us more because it's always the same 3 people. So we're going to have a preach my gospel class every saturday and we hope that we'll have some people show up. Then we're going to use this class to get some references and also to help them feel more comfortable to share the gospel with there friends. but ya that's the plan!

But ya that's basically what happened this week. I also heard that Nuary in Tibas is going to get baptized and three of my families that we taught are going to get baptized too. And two of those families will have a wedding as well. 9 baptisms!

But ya love you guys ton! The gospel is true!!!

Elder Anderson

June 30, 2013

Hey guys.

I unfortunately had changes this week. It was one of the hardest things i've ever had to do in my life. I love the people in tibas so much. It was awful to have to call them and tell them i had changes. I've never felt like this before. And i don't like it either. But i know that God has purpose for me here in Turrialba. Although it has been super hard to leave my beloved friends, converts, and families behind, i will do all that i can to help build the Lords kingdom here. I'm District leader here. There are 4 elders and 4 hermanas in the district. 2 wards. Our ward has an attendence of about 130 or more everyweek. I came here and it was pretty dry our area and with basically nothing. Haha i was a little frusterated but i just moved on and went to work. I've learned now when things don't go as you want to you just have to trust in the Lord and git er done! Sorry i haven't been able to send you much pictures but i will send you some next week. And i have some sweet ones from today. We went to a waterfall. It was super sick. About an hour long hike. it was also super extreme. we had to bring a rope to help us go down and up the mountain. My ward here is super awesome they are all really chill people. I just hope they're ready to help us out a lot more. Turrialba is pretty hot and humid and kind of out in the country. Which is kinda of a reminder of cañas. But anyways i love this work so much and i know that what all the missionaries around the world are teaching is true. That God does love us his children. And that blessings will come through living by the principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Elder Anderson

June 24, 2013

Hey guys! Wow what a wonderful week we had last week. We ended up finishing the week off with 39 lessons!! 16 more than i've ever had in a week in my whole mission! We had 2 great young priests who did splits with us for 3 days. We ended up racking 30 of the 39 in those 3 days. I also went on divisions with Elder Chisholm in my District. He's from mississippi and he's been with me since he started the mission 3 changes ago. He's a great guy but has had some really difficult challenges. So we've been fasting together and trying to see what we can do with his area. And we came to the decision that they need to strengthen their ward and try to work with more references because knocking doors does not work in their area. And the broadcast from yesterday really supported our decision. 

My district. We did have 6 elders about 2 weeks ago. But president sent one of them home last week which was really hard. He did need to go home because he was being disobedient but it's always hard to see people go home. But this week we'll be getting some hermanas in zurqui. So that will give us 4 elders and 2 hermanas. And i go on divsions at least once every week. Oh ya we have changes this week we'll know one wednesday who has changes then on thursday to our new areas. i really hope that i don't have changes i love this area so much. 

Oh ya also this week we saw a miracle. Our golden family that we love so much had been having a problem. The husband didn't want to get married. And over that past 3 weeks he and his wife had been praying and he felt like that was what they needed to do. So tomorrow we're going to talk about the papers that they need to do to get a passport then put a date for their marriage and for their baptism. 

But ya i love it here so much. Vianney our convert is the best lady in the whole world. She basically teaches us now. we had such a special lesson with her where she told us that we need to fast more so that we can be more strengthened spiritually. She fasts every week. Then she told us that she prays for us everyday and always includes us in her fast. When she told us that the spirit was so strong that it was impossible for me to hold back the tears. She has been such a great example for me out here on the mission. 

I love the mission. I love the Ticos of Costa Rica. And i love the Lord and for the chance i have to be part of the most important work in the world.

Love you guys

Love Elder Drake Anderson

June 16, 2013

hey guys. well i had an alright week. only had 21 lessons so we were 9 short of 30 but we have some great plans this week to get the 30 maybe 40 we'll see how it goes. anyways i got my package with the ipod thank you guys tons. I love it a ton. Wer had an awesome conference with president and three other zones in which i got to see Elder Richardson, Elder Taylor and Elder Fuimaono missionaries from my district in the MTC. which was super sick. we also got humbled a ton by president. But after words he built us back up with the spirit and now we're all super stoked to go to work. we put a goal as a mission to have 4 baptisms for ever companionship every month. That would be 500 baptisms every month. The best we've had is 135. Huge difference. But i know that we can accomplish it. I know that Costa Rica is ready to change. We just have to be obedient and work diligently to bring this change about. 

This week we have plans to have a 2 day division with 2 priests in our ward. THey're going to come sleep at our house and work and study with us for 2 daysa. I'm super stoked. THen on sunday we have divisions with a less active and a member who is preparing for his misison. But ya super stoked. I'm starting to get a little more used to being district leader now. I neber thoughtr that i would be teaching other  missionaries how to be better and how to accomplish the goals we've put. BUt as we can see the gospel changes people. Becuase i would have never been able to do this befor my mission. 

I'm glad to hear that everything is going well at home. That's sick your going to San Diego. I would love to see the sun again haha., All it does is rain now but whatev it's chill. Anyways take pictures of the football thing and the kids so i can see them. Also tell tyler to hold in there. Love you guys tons!!!

Love Drake

June 11, 2013

hey guys. THis week was an alright week. We found out that our family that we took to the temple and that had a baptismal date for this saturday can't get baptized because they aren't married. And  they're illegal immigrants from nicaragua. So now we have to wait a few months until they can get baptized. But that wasn-t the sad part. THe sad part is that her husband doesn't want to get married. But we're just going to keep working with that. we found another family though who are from honduras. They're ma\rried and have papers so that's a good sign. And they've told Ivon that they feel like our church is true. so we have a sick FHE planned for this wednesday with them. I can-t wait. We have another family that are also super awesome. THe dad is a less active member but the mom and their two daughters arent so we want to put a baptismal date with them this wek for the end of june. The meeting with the missionaries went well they just wanted us to change up our district meetings a little bit. Oh ya we have district meetings every week for a hour and a half and i have to plan it and prepare a 20 to 30 minute capacitation every week.         This has been a little stressfull but a huge testimony builder as well. I don-t hav e my package but the zone leaders said that they have one of them for me so i should get it tomorrow. I love being with elder diaz and being in tibas. I'm dreading the thought of changes on june 27th because i'm almost positive that one of us will have changes. Oh ya and supposedly 83 new missionaries are coming to our mission so a ton of people are going to be training and opening new areas. Yay!!! Should be interesting to see what h appens. |But anyways i love you guys ton.

Love Drake

June 2

Ya this week went by super fast as well. I can't believe that we're already half way done with this change. It's so crazy to me!! We had our baptism this week with Susan. It was super great even though only 8 people showed up. It still turned out to be a super great service. Us district leaders had a meeting with the zone leader this week. And president has uped the goal in the mission to 30 lessons every week. The best i've ever had is 23. But when they said that i knew that we could accomplish it. We just have to use our time better and find more people and work more with the members. Tomorrow i get to go on divisions with an area in our district. I'll be there for 3 days. I'm super stoked to learn things from them and help them out because they've been a little disanimated with there area. And i'm so glad that i have a great companion because i don't have to worry if he'll do work or not because i know he will. I love being with Elder Diaz. I learn something new from him everyday. We're super stoked for next week because we'll hopefully have 5 baptisms!! Our family Martin, Carmen, Norma, Martin are the ones that can get baptized then they have a daughter who has 7 named Naomi. And Nuary. We're super excited for next week and hope that all will go well and that they'll be able to complete all the commandments and ve ready for this day. But ya i haven't had a chance to go to the office so i haven't gotten the package but maybe this next week the zone leader will bring our packages because they have a meeting in the office. Oh ya i got to go paintballing today and play soccer and make pizza with some areas in our zone. It was super fun! But i got super burnt as well. I'm definitely going to us sunscreen from now on haha. But ya i was thinking that i should be applying for colleges about now. And i heard that usually missionaries have their parents start them then they write the reports so i was wondering if maybe you guys could help me out with that. I would like to apply to BYUI, BYU Provo, BYU Hawaii (even though i probably won't get in) and Utah State. If you guys could do that that would be so great. THanks guys i love you guys so much and hope that you have a wonderufl week. Oh ya And happy Birthday MOM yesterday. I love you so much and hope that you had a wonderful Birthday. 57!!!!!

Love you guys!!!

Drake

May 27

Hey guys. Wow what an awesome week we had this week. First to start off we had 23 lessons which is the most i've ever had in my mission. and second we had 20 investigators come to church this sunday!!!! Our gospel principles class for the investigators and less actives was bigger than the sunday school class for the adult members. THe room was slammed full!! Karmin and her whole family came and she invited her little sister to come as well. Which was so cool!! Ok also this last saturday we got to go to the temple with our ward so we took Karmin and her family with us so that they could see the temple and go in the waiting room and touch the walls of the templ and alsot take a picture. Then we taught them about the plan of salvation and why we have temples and we had a guy talk a bout family history with them and why we do it. THen the coolest experience was when we invited Martin the dad to pray and ask if June 15th was the day that him and his family should be baptized. And him and his whole family as we kneeled and waited for an answer felt a feeling of peace come over them as did we. It was such a great experience and after that he said i know that we need to get baptized the 15th. And i thought wow i've never felt the spirit so strongly in the prayer of an investigator. BUt then later that same day we went to cesar's house and he had been having some huge problems with his "wife" ,they're not married, and he didn't know what to do. SO we knelt on our knees and he gave the most humble prayer. And we knew that he got his answer. THen he showed up to church the next day and Hermano Aguilar gave the best talk about having faith during our tribulations. Then the rest of sunday was just amazing. oh ya Vianney our convert was called as first counceler in the primary this week and she went to the temple and did baptisms for her one ancestors. she is seriously the best lady in the world i love her so much. but ya that's basically my week i can't believe that brother landon is now bishop landon that's so awesome! Tell Darbs congrats on getting throught high school and that i love her tons! Love you Guys

Drake

May 20

It was super great to seeyou guys this week! BUt i felt so trunky the next day haha. The members here are so awesome. 3 families celebrated my birthday. THey made me strawberry cheesecake which was so good. And the next night they gave me a cake called Tres Leches which is one of my favorites. you guys will have to try it when you come to costa rica. BUt the only bad part of the week is that i got super sick on my birthday. Probably because of all the cake. BUt i felt so bad it was awfull. I don't think i've ever felt so sick in my stomach in my whole life. BUt a part fromthat it was apretty sweet week! On sunday we had ward conference. With an attendence of 117 people 12of which were our investigators.It was such an awesome sunday. When we came in late with our investigator family the Stakepresident gave us a thumbs up haha i thought that was pretty funny. But it was seriously such a miracle that the family came and they are so great but they live in the most humble part of our area where allthe houses are just sheet metal and nothing else.

 BUt Wow this week me and my companion learned a lot about our area and how much we really rely on the members to have success. We tried to do some contacting this week and we had some success in one area but it's really not that efficient inour other areas. But we met some really special people this week. WHile we were contacting we met someone who had talked to the missionaries 4 years ago. And now her and her sister are super ready to listen to us. We also met a lady named Karmen and invited her to church. We only thought her and her daughter would come but instead she came with her husband and 3 kids to ward conference which was perfect because she was having a problem with her husband but Stake President gave the perfect talk that, if they were listening well, helped them out a ton. 

I was super surprised friday night when i got home and Elder CHisholm told me that i had to call the Zone leaders. When they told me that i was going to be district leader i did not feel prepared. BUt after a ton of praying i came to know that this is what i need to do and felt such a comforting calm feeling. I know that if i put my trust in the Lord he will help me know what to do to make this district the district he needs.  

I'm a little nerbous to do baptismal interviews and run district meetingsbut iknow that everything will be alright. 

THanks guys for everything i love you guys all so much.

Love Drake

May 5

Hey Guys!

This week was great but half way through this week me and my companion thought that we were being kinda lazy so we sat down and look at some things and got to work again. We're not going to let that feeling of laziness enter our companionship again. We had a really cool experience yesterday when we went to go get Nuary to go to church she said she couldn't go because she had no water and said she wasn't going to go with out taking a shower. So we tried convincing her it was alright to go like that but that didn't work. So i started to pray that the water would work. And right as we went to leave she came running out of her bathroom telling us there was water coming out. But it was just drops of cold water but she told us to go and she would be there in 20 minutes. So she took the shower and made it to church. That was just a huge testimony builder for me knowing that if a person has a real desire to go to church that God will alway provide the way to get there. Another thing this week that was awesome was our lesson with Vianney, who has a baptism this week. Anyways we did a practice of the baptismal interview with her this week and when we asked the last question if she was ready to make the baptismal covenant and be faithfull to it she said yes. But when she said yes i had the most powerfull wonderful feeling from the spirit telling me she was ready. It was such a great experience. She only had a problem with on question and that was about if she though Thomas S. Monson was a prophet. So we invited her to watch his talks on the internet from General Conference. And when we had our lesson with her on Sunday we asked if if she believed he was a prophet and she said yes i know he is a prophet. And i just got that feeling all over again. I know she is ready for her baptism i'm so excited for her and can't wait till the baptismal service 5:30 on saturday. Me and my companion are going to sing, even though i'm an awful singer, while my companion plays the guitar. It's kinda sad to here the weather is slowly getting better in Idaho as it's slowly getting worse here haha. But i'm glad to here that you guys are doing good in idaho! Dad i totally had to watch one of those cataract surgery in health occupations and it's super fast and simple. I can't believe Whit had a baby you'll definitely have to send me photos of that. Um six o clock next week will work out perfectly for me! OH ya i totally forgot i have to tell you guys something. Sheldon Corry's ex girlfriend is in my ward here in Tibás. She is seriously the coolest girl in the world. She is a return missionary and has helped us out tons. Actually Nuary was a reference from her. But ya she went to the corry's house and everything so we thought it was super funny that she was right by my house. But ya anyways I can't believe darbi is graduating. But ya that's pretty much it just stoked for our baptism this week!!!! Love you guys!!!

Elder Anderson

April 28

Hey guys!

We had a super good week. Found a new family while trying to find an inactive family and the new family totally invited us in and we taught them a really good lesson with our mission leader. then they went and introduced us to the inactive family that we didn't know. Which was super helpful. Unfortunatly only one person out of the 2 familys showed up. But we got a lesson with them tonight so we're going to try and get them pumped up for the next week. Also had a lesson with two amazing investigators that wow who are just so prepared. One of them asked us why she had to pray if the book of mormon was true if she already knew it was true. we still encouraged her to pray and ask if it was true but the spirit was just so strong in that lesson. Then another investigator we have was a reference of a member and she asked us how she could be baptized and so we explained to her and she excepted a baptismal date and is super excited. Elder Diaz and I are seeing many miracles happen here in Tibás. I really hope that i will be blessed to stay here one more change or more! I love the members here so much. And all of our investigators. They're such great people. But ya i'm glad to hear that the tests cam out good for tyler. I've been praying a lot for him lately. I know that he'll be alright. I'm glad that your robotics competition went well dad! super cool that you got a senator to go with you. It sounds like ward conference was a winner! Is brother childs in our ward now? we have ward conference the 25th of may. Which will be super sick if i'm still around! Oh ya about the skype call so if you guys could choose an hour that would be best for you guys either monday 13 or tuesday14 or wednesday 15 of may that would work best for all of you guys that would be awesome and i would plan accordingly. oh ya it's six o clock right now in costa rica. I think it's the same as idaho but i don't know so ya if you can line of those hours so that there's no confusion that would be killer.  Then i will talk to you guys on one of those days because i don't know when we're having p day that week because it's changes week and they always change things up when it's changes week. Oh ya got the package with my clothes contacts and pictures. THanks o much guys your so awesome. I needed those contacts so bad because i didn't want to walk around in my ray ban glasses in some areas. Those automatically scream out i'm a gringo and have a lot of money.. when i really don't have any haha. But ya i can't believe i'm already calling you guys again that just seems so crazy to me. The time goes by so fast. Dang it just started pouring outside and i totally forgot my umbrella......:( oh well looks like i'm going to arrive home soaking wet tonight!! Better get used to it because winter supposedly starts next week and when it's winter here an umbrella doesn't help to much haha. But ya keep me updated on every thing. Love you guys!

Love Drake